Power propelled sweeper



Nov. 3, 1953 I F. J, MACHOVEC 2,657,408

POWER PRQPELLED SWEEPER Filed Dec. 17. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zso J M46710 vsc,

JNVENTOR. v

Nov. 3, 1953 F. J. MACHOVEC 2,657,408

POWER PROPELLED SWEEPER Filed Dec. 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [$50 zZ'M4cH01/Ec,

IN VEN TOR.

ATTOQNEY,

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER PROPELLED SWEEPER Fred J. Machovec, Pasadena, Calif.

Application December 17, 1949. Serial No. 133,587

The present invention relates to sweepers in general and particularly to a power sweeper incorporating its own driving and propelling power unit. More specifically the invention comprises a power sweeper suitable for the sweeping of hard surfaces, such 'as sidewalks, streets and parking lots, and adjustable as to transform it into a lawn sweeper.

The task of sweeping large surface areas is time-consuming and is best accomplished by a power-driven sweeper capable simultaneously of sweeping the surface and gathering the debris. Large lawns and large hard surfaces, such as streets, parking lots and sidewalks, are frequently so extended that the power-driven unit preferably incorporates its own prime mover independent of outside power sources. It is also desirable that the sweeper should be suitable for the sweeping of hard flat surfaces and also of lawns which are relatively soft and delicate and have depth. The conversion from a unit primarily adapted for one type of operation to the other should be simple and easy.

It isalsov desirable that the sweeper should be so constructed and designed that the power unit functionsnot only to drive the sweeping-elements but also to propel'the apparatus, thereby removing that burden from the operator. It is important that control of the movement of the'unit should be flexible and at all times in the operator. He may wish to proceed ina straight line for a considerable distance, at other times he may wishto approach the face of a wall andto" stop abruptly, and thereafter to turn the unitas to proceed parallel to the wall, during the turning operation the driving power being disconnected from the driving wheels. v

With an appreciation of the problems which are characteristic of the field to which the invention relates it is a primary purpose of the present invention to provide a new and-improved sweeper which is power-drivenand cap'ableboth of sweeping hard flat surfaces and of cleaning lawns. I

Itisanother object of the invention to provide a power-driven sweeper which is self propelled andinwhich the control of the sweeper'movement is at all times in the operator.

A still further object of the invention" is to provide a simplified power-driven sweeper in which the sweeping means andthe propelling means are driven by the units seIf contained power unit, and. with which the operator can ride, ifdesired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a power sweeper in which'debris is swept inwardly and up into the path of a brush rotating about a horizontal axis by which it is carried into a receiving receptacle.

A still'further object of the invention'is t'opro- 4 Claims. (01. 83)

vide a power sweeper incorporating simplified means'by which the driving connection between the power source and the traction wheels is at all times within the control of the operator.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the-attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a pre ferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a sweeper constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the operator riding uponthe dolly;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of thesweeper constructed in accordance with the present invention with the receptacle unit removed;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the sweeper;

Figure 4 is a partial front view of the unit looking in the direction of the arrows upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and illustrates the vertical height-adjusting means for the front end of the unit;

Figure 5 is a section through the heightadjusting means. upon the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the sweeper constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows upon the line 1-1 of Figure 6 and. shows the position and mounting of one of the pairs of rotary brushes;

Figure 8 is an enlarged showing of the pivotal mounting of one of the' traction wheels and the operating handle; and

Figure 9 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows upon the line 99 of Figure 8.

Referring again to the drawings, the complete assembly of the power sweeper constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1. It may be divided broadly into the sweeper unit proper, indicated generally by the reference character II], the receptacle unit or container, generally indicated at H, and. a dolly unit detachably connected to the rear of receptacle unit I I and indicated generally by the reference character i 2. Dolly I2 comprisesa' desirable addition and provides means bywhich the operator can ride but it may be omitted'without affecting the operation of the other two units.

Directing our attention first to the sweeper unit 19, it is seen that that most important part of the sweeper comprises a body or casing IS the size and shape of which is not of the essence of the invention but which is formed of suitable frame members to impart rigidity, including frame member l1, and'a casing l8 which may be of sheet metal, or other suitable materia'L-and. which is supported by the rigid frame, being open at its bottom and at its rear side. It is to be understood that the exact structural details of the body may be varied so long as the unit remains capable of functioning and operating as hereinafter set forth.

Sweeper unit it! is supported by means of a pair of traction wheels 2% mounted rotatably upon a cross-shaft :e, the extremities of which are carried by cantilever arms 25 pivoted at their upper ends at 22 to the frame member H in each instance. Each arm 2% carries an adjustable stop 26 positioned as to abut the underside of frame member ii to limit the upward pivotal movement of the lever, and so the connected wheel 29, relative to the body It.

At its lower rearward end each arm 2! pivotally seats at 24 the lower end of a U-shaped handle as which extends upwardly, as shown in Figure 1, during operation. Each side of the handle carries a laterally extending abutment or stop 21 above its pivot 25. and positioned as to rest upon the upper side of the adjacent frame member I? when the handle is lowered into a substantiall horizontal position during periods of inactivity.

The front of the sweeper unit ii) is supported by a swiveled castor wheel at rotatable in its frame 3| which is eccentrically mounted for swivel movement at the lower end of a vertical post 32 which extends upwardly in a seat 33 fixed rigidly in the unit body It. To make possible the adjustment of the post 32 vertically with respect to its seat 33, and so adjust the height of the body It above the castor wheel Bil, pins 36 and 3'6 extend forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, from the post 32 through slots 33 and 39 formed in the seat 33. Coil. springs 4! connect to the pin 3?, their opposite ends connecting to the body it, and at all times pull the post downwardly. The forwardly extending pin 36 seats rotatably in a circular eccentric cam 42. The latter seats rotatably in a circular seat formed by a ring 34 integral with a vertically extending arm 59 the lower end of which is pivoted to the unit body it at M. A rigid handle or arm 43' extends laterall from the cam Q2 and provides means by which its angular position in its seat as can be adjusted to raise or lower post 32 and so castor wheel 353.

The surface-contacting sweeping means of the sweeping unit as comprises a pair of rotary brushes rotatable about vertical axes at the forward corners of the body H5, and generally indicated by the reference character is, and an elongated rotatable litter-lifting or brush unit, generally indicated by the reference character 15, rotatable about a horizontal axis. Turning first to the brushes 4%, they are seen to comprise conically arranged bristles 53 carried by a disc-shaped body Mi at the lower end of a vertical shaft 45. The shaft 4i; of each brush unit 43] positioned at a forward corner of body it is rotatable in and vertically displaceable within an approximate range of 1%; inches, in spaced bushings t9, and between its ends carries a belt pulley lit.

The elongated horizontal brush unit 45 is positioned rearwardly of brushes do in body It within a downwardly and rearwardly opening chamber 5|. The top wall of chamber 5! is adjacent the top wall of body it and extends rearwardly thereof at 52 to form a discharge duct, the casing [8 of body it adjacent the duct being flanged outwardly at 53 in spaced relationship therearound.

Brush unit 45 comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending brushes 56 each comprising bristles and an elongated axially extending back 5i removably secure, as by brackets 58, to the central body 59 of the brush unit carried by the unit shaft 5i. shaft 6! is itself rotatable in the end walls of chamber 5i, as is illustrated in Figures 3 and 6, and is extended therebeyond within the body it to carry a plurality of driving pulleys and friction wheels, as will be described.

The source of power of the sweeper unit comprises, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, a small gasoline motor, indicated generally by the reference character 15, suitably mounted upon the top wall of easing I8 of body iii. The power unit may be conventional, it being requisite only that it provide adequate power to actuate the sweeping and the propelling elements. A powertransmitting belt l6 driven by motor iii extends downwardly through the top wall of casing is to engage a pulley TE carried by a transverse shaft 18 the ends of which are mounted. in bearings is on the side walls of body it. Adjacent its opposite ends and near the bearings '59 shaft 18 carries pulleys 3! each of which seats a belt 32. Belt 82 also engages large diameter pulleys 83 carried by and rotatable with the shaft iii of brush unit 45. The ratio of the pulleys conmeeting the driving motor E5 to the brush shaft 3: is such that the latter rotates at a speed greatly less than the speed of rotation of motor 15 The forward vertical brushes 4e are connected to the driven shaft 81 by belts 85 which extend rearwardly from pull ys 68, carried by vertical shafts 56, to seat upon pulleys 8'! on shaft 5!. Through the belt and pulley connections described brushes ill! and 45 are rotated about their respective axes at all times during the operation of driving motor K5.

T0 transmit the necessary propelling force from the driving motor 15 to the traction wheels 20 the driven shaft 61 carries adjacent its opposite ends and between the pulleys 83 and 81, in each instance, friction clutch wheels 9|. Wheels 9| are positioned in the same planes as traction wheels 20 and are spaced therefrom at a distance such that with wheels 20 forced downwardly with respect to the body l6 by force transmitted through the handle 25, which force displaces the wheel-carrying levers 2i downwardly from the full line to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 8, wheels 20 contact wheels 9!. Normally the weight of the sweeper unit ll! retains the wheels 20 in their upper positions, an illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, in which they are spaced rearwardly from the driving friction wheels 9! and no propelling power is transmitted. With the wheels 20 forced downwardly relative to the frame by handle 25, however, frictional contact is established, slippage being present with a slight downward force to provide a slow forward speed, While a direct drive and relatively high speed is effected with an increased downward force upon the handle.

To protect the sweeping unit if! from, and particularly from approaching too closely to a wall or curb parallel to the direction of travel, rotatable bumpers lllll are provided which extend to the side, as illustrated most clearly in Figure 6. The bristles 43 extend beyond the sides of the body It and the bumpers serve to protect them from being too greatly flexed.

Referring now specifically to the container receptacle unit ii, that very important part of the construction is seen to comprise a rigid boxlike body. III], the shape. of which. may bevaried as desired. .The body and frame of the receptacle unit. may bev similar to the body and. frame of sweeper unit I so. far as mechanical strength and design are concerned. Body I0 I. isopen atits forward face and is sized to enclose the. rearwardly extending duct 52. of chamber I. When so positioned downwardly extending brackets. I02 atthe. forward bottom. c'orners'of body IOI= engage receiving, seats I03 at the rearward extremities of'frame member ll of body I6, the engagement being such that the forward end of receptacle unit II is supported and at the same time permitted limited relative movement with. respect to the unit III; The rear of receptacle unit II is supported by rear wheels I06, of which oneis shown in. Figure l, suitably afiixed to its side.

If desired the sweeper construction of the present invention is adapted to have connected to it a dolly, indicated at I2 in Figure 1,.adaDted to carry the operator; Dolly I2 comprises a fiat frame or plate I08 pivotally connected at its-forward end to the rear of receptacle unit II. and supported rearwardly by a pair of wheels, one of which is indicated by the reference character I09; Dolly I2 is so positioned that the operator may stand thereon, as illustrated in Figure l, and while so located can grasp the operating handle ina position to exert the downward force necessary to move the propelling wheels 20 into engagement withfrictiontal drive wheels 9 I, as described. With dolly unit I2 removed the operator must walk in the rear of the sweeping and receptacle units.

The operation of the sweeper constructed in accordance with the present invention is as follows: The entire sweeper assembled as illustrated in Figure l is positioned on the surface or lawn to be cleaned. The motor I5 is started, either by cranking or by use of the conventional starting cord, as the case may be. If: the surface to be cleaned is a hard surface, such as a street, sidewalk, or surfaced. parking lot, the height-adjusting handle 48' is pivoted counterclockwise through 180 degrees from its position illustrated in Figure 4 so that the forward end of the body I5 and rotary brushes and are lowered close to the surface to be cleaned.

The brush unit 45 rotates in a clockwise direction, as illustrated in:Figures 2and 3, while. the vertical axis brush units 40 rotate in each instance so that debris contacting the forward side of the brush is carried inwardly and into the path of the brush unit 45. The receptacle unit II is connected to the sweeping unit It, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the operator takes his position in the rear, standing on the dolly I2. The handle 25, normally in a horizontal position with its stop 21 resting upon the rear end of the frame member I1, is held by the operator in the operating position illustrated in Figure 1. When ready for the machine to travel across the surface to be cleaned the operator exerts a downward force upon the handle 25-causing the wheel-carrying cantilevers 2I to pivot downwardly from their positions illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 to that illustrated in Figure 8. This downward travel of levers 2| effects the forward movement of the wheels 20 and brings them into contact with the friction wheels 9I on the rotating shaft 6|. Immediately power is transmitted from the friction wheels 9| to the traction wheels 20 and the entire unit moves forwardly. The speed of travel, within its range of speed, can be controlled by the downward force which the operator exerts through thezhandleii. Withthe wheels 2 02forced hard against the. friction wheels 91. a direct driving connection. without appreciable slippage: is provided and the. unit travels at maximum speed; With. a lesser force slippage will be present; and theunit will travelat a lesser rate of speed.

In the travel of the apparatusacross thesurface to be cleaned the vertical axis brushes .40

' 52 into the receptacle unit I I.

The sweeper unit is prevented from approach!- ingtooclosely to a wall or vertical surface: by 'tbe roller bumpers I 00. The presence-0f these:bump:- ers prevents injuryto; the sweeper body and? also damage to the bristles 43 of the brush units: 40: The ability of the shaft 46 of the latter to-move vertically in its bushings 49 enables itto compensate for unevenness-in the surface;

Upon reaching. the end of its. travelin. one direction the operator of the apparatus: releases the downward force be has been exerting through thelhandle 25, whereupon the propelling force previously exerted upon. the traction wheels: 20 is removed and the unit slows-to a stop. Either before or after the unit has ended its forward movement the operator can start to: turn',.the presence. of the swiveled. castor 30: aiding in the" operation, as does the limited. angular adjustment permitted: between the units I'OIandi H by virtue of the connections I02, I03;. With the unit turned for travel in the opposite direction the operator again exerts the downward. force upon the handle 25, propelling force is again transmitted to the traction wheels 20, and the unit moves forwardly: over thesurface to be cleaned;

Where a lawn is to be cleaned rather than: a hard surface'the: operation is as described with the exception that the heighteadjusting handle 48 is positioned as illustrated in. Figuresl-andii in which the body It is raised to. its upper ad!- justment with respect to the supporting oastor 3Il.so that the brushelements 40 and 45 contact more lightly the surface being swept.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A power operated sweeper of the character described comprising a body member, rotatable surface contacting brush means and a driving motor both carried by the body member, power transmission means connecting the driving motor to said brush means, a friction wheel on said body actuated by said motor, supporting wheels for said body member including a front wheel and a rear traction wheel, and a handle for the sweeper, said traction wheel having mounting means comprising an arm pivotally connected to the body member to the rear of said friction wheel but in front of the axis of rotation of said traction wheel, said arm being actuated by the weight of the body to normally hold the traction wheel out of contact with the friction wheel, and means connecting said handle to said arm in rear of the traction wheel shaft to permit moving said mounting means in opposition to the effect of the weight of the body member to cause the traction wheel to be brought into engagement with said friction wheel.

2. A power operated sweeper of the character described, comprising a body member having a rearwardly extending rigid frame portion, a rotatable surface contacting brush unit, a driving motor carried by the body member, power transmission means connecting the driving memher to said brush unit, a friction wheel mounted near the rear of the body member and actuated by said driving motor, supporting wheels for said body member including a wheel mounted at the front of the body member and a traction wheel mounted at the rear thereof adjacent and in substantial alignment with the friction wheel, and a handle for the sweeper; the improvement wherein means are provided for so mounting the rear traction Wheel that the weight of the body and the parts carried thereby normally tend to move the traction wheel away from contact with said friction wheel, said traction wheel mounting means comprising an arm hinged to said rearwardly extending frame portion, said traction wheel having a shaft mounted for rotation in said arm at a point to the rear of the hinge point of said arm, and said handle being attached to said pivoted arm at a point to the rear of the traction wheel shaft, whereby the pivoted arm carrying the traction wheel may be swung by operation of the handle member in a direction in opposition to that caused by the weight of the body to cause the traction wheel to be brought into operative engagement with said friction wheel.

3. In a power sweeper, a sweeping unit comprising a body having a pair of rigid frame members extending rearwardly of said body, a rotatable brush unit carried by said body for contact with a surface to be cleaned, an engine carried by the top of said body, power transmitting means connecting said engine with said brush unit, supporting wheels movably supporting said body for movement upon a surface to be cleaned and including a front swiveled castor and spaced traction wheels at the rear of said body, a pair of lever arms rotatably carrying said traction wheels and hingedly connected to said rearwardly extending frame members, and friction Wheels driven by said power transmission means from said engine positioned in front of and in substantial alignment with said traction wheels so as to be contacted by said traction wheels in certain of their positions relative to said body, the weight of said body on said traction wheels tending to pivot said lever arms to move said traction wheels from said friction wheels, and a shiftable guiding handle for the sweeping unit having side arms connected to said lever arms and adapted to receive force from the unit operator to pivot said lever arms to move said traction wheels into and from contact with said friction wheels upon itself being displaced, said traction wheels having shafts mounted for rotation in said hinged arms at points to the rear of the points of attachment of said arms to the rearwardly extending frame members, but in front of the points of attachment of said handle side arms.

4. A power operated sweeper as set forth in claim 1, wherein the brush means includes a brush rotating about a horizontal axis, and means comprising a pair of other brushes rotating about vertical axes for sweeping debris into the path of the brush rotating about the horizontal axis.

FRED J. MACHOVEC.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 463,236 Schaeifer Nov. 1'7, 1891 622,372 Langworthy Apr. 4, 1899 1,407,180 Todd Feb. 21, 1922 1,511,040 Ramsey Oct. '7, 1924 1,610,444 Hodges Dec. 14, 1926 2,151,659 Funk Mar. 21, 1939 2,205,249 Fitzgerald et a1. June 18, 9 0 2,283,229 Richards May 19, 1942 2,286,245 Wilson et a1 June 16, 1942 2,298,054 Howell Oct. 6, 1942 2,505,576 Reitan Apr. 25, 1950 2,525,090 Bott Oct. 10, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,198 Great Britain of 1909 

